The Grim Candidate
by doconnor
Summary: Grim Tales of Mandy Alone: Ep 3: The Grim Candidate: Based on Bleedman's comic. Mandy extends her power into the political sphere by running for mayor of Endsville.
1. Chapter 1

**Grim Tales of Mandy Alone**

**Episode III:_The Grim Candidate  
_**

by Darwin O'Connor (doconnor at reamined.on.ca)

the sequel to _Totally Grim _and _The GrimFather_

based on the web comic _Grim Tales from Down Below_ by Bleedman

particularly the part based on the fan fiction _The Grim Family Tree_ by Sonic Rose

all based on _The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy_ created by Maxwell Atoms

Her knee high black boots clapped on the sidewalk as she walked past the people standing in line for the club. The men stared at her legs as they swung back and forth beneath her short pleated black skirt. The women stared at her long blond hair as it swayed against her back. Unseen sequins seemed to sparkle with a mind of their own across her tight black high neck sleeveless top. Even her black headband flashed with light. The only colour she wore was her pink belt, finger nails and lipstick. Those who thought about calling out to her as she walked past changed their mind when they saw her impatient frown and dark eyes. 

She approached the doorman at the VIP entrance. He was vary large, although, it wasn't clear if it was because of muscle or fat. His tuxedo jacket wasn't nearly wide enough to be closed. It was unclear if his tuxedo shirt actually extended all the way around him either.

The doorman tried to match Mandy's frown and asked in his deep voice, "Name?"

"Mandy," she replied in her quiet, but clear voice.

Even though he was holding a clipboard he didn't divert his glare from her before he said, "Your name is not on the list."

Mandy raise one of her eyebrows. "I was invited here by the owner of this establishment."

The large man did not change expression. "I'm sorry, miss. You must be on the list or you must go to the end of the line."

Mandy stretched out her fingers on her right hand and curled them up again, one by one. Her eyelids narrowed. She took at step towards him. With her heels she was able to stand face-to-face with him. "I was invited here by the owner of this establishment."

He opened his mouth, and then closed it. He looked her over and said, "For you, I'll make an exception."

Mandy stepped past him and opened the door, releasing a blast of noise and warm air on to the sidewalk.

One of the girls in the line called to the doorman. "Will you make an exception for me?" She leaned forward to show him what made her exceptional.

He looked away and gruffly said, "No exceptions."

Inside, Mandy squeezed through the crowd, heading towards the back

The constant noise grated at her. The low frequency thump, thump of the music seemed to penetrate everything. On top of the music there where dozens of half heard conversations and people yelling to be heard over the music and each other. Coloured spotlights flickered over the crowd, blinding you with light one moment and leaving you in the dark the next. The worst part was the grinning, half drunk, half trying to impress people faces. It was human insincerity at its most pure.

She suddenly felt a hand rubbing her upper arm. A voice next to her ear said, "Hey, baby. Wanna hook up?"

Mandy grabbed the arm and twisted it around his back. She whispered in his ear, "Is this what you had in mind?" She pushed him to the floor. His frat-boy friends leaped out of the way allowing him to hit the floor face first.

Mandy continued through the crowed until she reached a booth, where several men where sitting. They stood as she approached.

"Welcome, Mandy. I am Jacque Esteban Fanucchi. We where waiting for you," said the man in the centre. He spoke with a strange accent, as if he was from every European country at once.

"Your doorman wasn't," Mandy tersely replied.

"I do apologies," he smiled broadly; "there must have been a miscommunication."

Mandy brushed down her shirt as she sat and crossed her legs.

He continued, "I was told of your beauty, but mere words can't do justice to it."

"Cut the crap, Frenchie. Do you want to make a deal or not?"

"I was also told that the only thing that exceeds your beauty is your stubbornness. I can see that is also true." He took a deep breath that sounded like a slurp with all the saliva in his mouth. "What I propose is that we allow your organization exclusive control of the," he paused trying to think of the right words, "less intense pleasures, while you will allow us exclusive control of the more serious merchandise. With our respective monopolies, we should both prosper, without the unnecessary distractions competition would bring."

Somewhere behind Mandy someone called out, "There's the chick that broke Don's arm!"

The frat-boy went up to Mandy, but without even looking, she grabbed his shirt and yanked his head into the table, smashing a shot glass. She let go of him and his head slid off, leaving a trail of blood.

Mandy looked at her finger nails. "I am not impressed."

Jacque snapped his fingers and pointed and a couple of heavy set men in dark suits picked the frat-boy up and took him and his friends away. On the other side of Mandy a waitress in a low cut cocktail dress appeared and showed Mandy a bottle of wine. Mandy didn't bother to read the label.

The waitress went through the motions of opening the bottle. Jacque still smiled. "I do apoligies. Please try a glass of our finest red wine."

The waitress pulled out the cork with ease. She poured glasses for Mandy and Jacque.

Jacque picked up his glass, swirled the wine and sniffed it. "Chateau Sorauren Cabernet, and an excellent year."

Mandy picked up the glass, stared intently at it and admired the panoramic view of her surroundings it gave her. She put down the glass and said, "You and your junk have caused nothing but trouble for me. Your addicts steal from my stores, wreck up my apartments and lower my property values. You are a small man with small plans. What are you going to do with the money you make? Retire on some tropical island. You'll soon slip up and be put away, one way or the other." She raised her voice, "You can take your 'merchandise' and all your disgusting people and get out of my town or I will put you away one way, then the other."

Jacque laughed and twirled his glass. "Such hostility, _mon cheri_. Relax, drink. I'm sure we can come to a mutually acceptable agreement."

Mandy picked up her drink. Just as she was about to take a sip, one of the men standing around Jacque snickered. Mandy put down the drink and said, "I don't do 'relaxed'."

She grabbed the glass again and drank the wine quickly, and saw Jacques smile grow as she drank. She savored the taste before taking the last gulp. She looked carefully at the glass, again.

"I think you'll find it really packs a punch," Jacque said has he poured his full glass of wine carelessly on the table.

Mandy was surprised how quickly her stomach knotted and how dizzy she felt. Mandy struggled to speak. "I'll be seeing you again." Her head felt like it was going to split in half and her vision was blurred beyond recognition. Clumsily grabbing the table she bumped her wine glass and it rolled on to the floor, smashing.

Jacque and his associates began laughing as Mandy weakly coughed until she started to taste blood. Satisfied that she had had enough, she passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

The two casually dressed men dropped Mandy on the leather coach in the back office of the club

The two casually dressed men dropped Mandy on the leather coach in the back office of the club. The room seemed elegantly decorated, but it didn't take an expert to see that much of the furniture was particle board imitations.

The heavier of the two placed her arms across her chest so she would look a bit more dignified. He said nervously, "I think she's still breathing, Quinn."

The smaller one laughed, stretching out his thin face. "Not for fucking much longer."

Bruce rolled his eyes at his insensitivity.

Mandy's breathing became louder and more horse. Blood tricked out of her mouth. Bruce looked up and down her body. "Such a waste."

Quinn smiled. "Doesn't fucking have to be."

He sat down at the edge of the coach and slid his hand along her boot until he reached her knee. Continuing up her thighs, he squeezed them and noticed that they seemed to be solid muscle. He looked at Bruce, who was across the room trying to stay as far away from the disgusting display as possible. "Holy Fucking. She must have been strong." His smiled revealing the gaps in his teeth.

Finally, he reached the hem of her skirt, when suddenly Bruce shouted, "Watch out!" Quinn glanced back at him, angry at the interruption.

At that moment he felt a crushing blow to the back of his head that rattled his teeth and sent him into the floor.

Before Bruce could react an ashtray spun through the air striking him on the forehead.

By the time Quinn had stood back up Mandy was already standing in the middle of the room with her back to him. He reached out and grabbed her arm, yelling, "Aren't you fucking dead!"

Mandy spun around, wrenching his arm, and, as fast as lighting, poked him with two fingers on three spots on his chest and one spot on his neck. He felt his entire body go limp. Just as he was about to fall to the ground Mandy caught him by his throat.

Feeling the full weight of his body crushing his esophagus, he managed to gasp, "Fuck--ing."

Mandy dropped him to the ground and in one movement grabbed a fountain pen from the table and stabbed it into Bruce's chest, as he was coming up behind her. A slight gurgling was heard as his last breath escaped his lungs.

Quinn with in a crumple on the floor with his legs folded uncomfortably under his body. Unable to move anything but his head, stared up in shock. "How come you are still fucking alive?"

Mandy looked down at him. "I knew your wine was poisoned. Your goons need to learn how to keep a straight face."

"You fucking drank it! There was enough poison in that wine to fucking kill you four times over."

"Tell him, Grim."

From behind Mandy a tall, dark figure approached. His long dark cloak contrasted with his pale, skull-like face. Looking closer, he realized his face was a skull. Quinn gasped, "The Grim fucking Reaper."

In a friendly Jamaican accent the Reaper replied, "Nice to meeting you too, Quinn."

Mandy rolled her eyes impatiently. "Tell him."

Grim stuttered. "Well, the thing is, Mandy's time had come quite a while ago, but I never got around to taking her soul."

"So she can't die? What's so fucking special about her?"

"Um...," Grim stuttered, again.

Mandy interrupted, "You may have noticed, I always get what I fucking want." She mocked his tone of voice. Turning to Grim, said asked, "Did you see what he was doing?"

Grim replied nervously, "Well, yea..."

Before he could finish, Mandy said, "Weren't you going to do something about it?"

"I...," Grim was about to explain that he used his power to bring her back early, but it seemed too much like boasting.

Before he could make a final decision about telling her, she interrupted again. Angrily she said, "Take this pervert and introduce him to our mutual friend. They can be play mates."

Grim looked fearful. "Are you sure you want to do that. It will only make him worse then he already is."

Mandy looked down at Quinn and noticed he was looking up her skirt from the floor. She lifted up her foot and said, with a hint of pleasure in her voice, "I know. They can play pirate." She stabbed her heel into his eye socket.

After Grim had taken the screaming man away, Mandy turned to the computer and quickly started installation of a program downloaded from her personal website. She had move quickly to click **Allow** many times before someone came to investigate the screaming.

Just as she finished she heard someone knocking at the door and yell, "What's going on in there!"

Mandy opened the door part way, but stayed behind it. When the person on the other side tried to slip through she used her weight to slam the door into him repeatedly until he stopped resisting.

Without pausing she left the room and ran down the hallway, pushing past Jacque and a bunch of his people who stared in disbelief. They all started talking at once before Jacque shouted, "Capture her!"

Most of them went after her, but two went the other way until Jacque grabbed both of them by their collars and angrily asked, "Vice, Gino, where do you think you are going?"

Gino replied, in a questioning tone, "We are going to get the guns?"

Jacque yanked on their collars. "No guns. I know her. You bring guns and she'll steal one and shoot up the whole place and you with it." He pushed them in the direction that Mandy went. "Go get the bouncers to take care of her."


	3. Setpiece 1

Mandy slipped into the main room of the club. It seem even busier and more difficult to move through then before.

Concerned that she would be too easily noticed she grabbed someone's fedora that had been left on a chair while its owner had been chatting up some girls.

As she squeezed through, the next song began. It was an old and familiar beat, although less frequently heard these days.

Without thinking about it she found herself stepping in time to the music.

_She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene_

She pushed through the crowd with one hand holding the hat low to hide her face. Despite her attempts to be inconspicuous the men she passed had trouble taking their eyes off her.

_I said don't mind, but what do you mean I am the one_

Mandy felt a hand grab her arm. She tried to shake it off, but its grip grew tighter.

_Who will dance on the floor in the round_

Mandy pulled the hat off her head and without looking jammed it into the face of the person holding her from behind. She spun around, punching him in the face sending him falling and backwards into the crowd, creating a clearing between them.

_She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round _

He pulled the crushed hat off his face Mandy recognized him as one of the people who was beside Jacque at his table. He stood up quickly and Mandy took a defensive stance. Sensing a fight people started backing away, without looking away.

_She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene _

He went at Mandy. After deflecting his attacks she did a low roundhouse kick to bring him to the ground.

_Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one _

The crowd that formed around them cheered and started chanting, "Fight, fight," bringing more onlookers.

_Who will dance on the floor in the round_

In the crowd three more of Jacque's men prepared to attack.

_People always told me be careful of what you do _

Two of them appeared from behind Mandy each grabbing one of her arms. The third went at her from the front, but Mandy pushed him back with her foot.

_And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts _

The two men holding her arms lifted Mandy up off the floor and the third punched her in her stomach

_And mother always told me be careful of who you love _

He grabbed her chin, lifted up her limp head and looked into her glassy, distant eyes. He smiled as he said, "You're coming with us, missy."

_And be careful of what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truth_

Mandy suddenly yanked her arms and kicked at the legs of the two people holding her up, causing them to fall forward and butt each other's heads in front of her.

_Billie Jean is not my lover _

Mandy grabbed the collar of the third man, kicked him in the side while pulling his collar the other way so that he spun upside down and hit the ground head first.

_She's just a girl who claims that I am the one _

The other two stood up, wiping blood from their foreheads. One of them put on brass knuckles and took a swing at Mandy, but she grabbed his wrist in mid swing and redirected it at his own face.

_But the kid is not my son _

The other one grabbed a beer bottle from someone in the crowd and threw it at Mandy. Mandy did a spinning kick at it, smashing it with her boot. Continuing her spin, she grabbed the top half of the bottle before it hit the ground.

_She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son _

He turned to run, but she jammed the jagged end into his buttock and pushed it in more with her foot as he fell down. The crowd cheered wildly.

_For forty days and for forty nights _

The large bouncer that she had met when she entered the club pushed his way through the crowd. Grinning at Mandy he said, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

_The law was on her side _

Mandy turned to look at him. After a brief pause she said quietly, "If you insist." He lead her towards the exit, directing her with his hand on her back.

_But who can stand when she's in demand _

The man who punched her ran up to them, holding the top of his head with one hand. He said to the bouncer, "Stop it, Malcolm. She is supposed to go with me." His head hurting badly from hitting it on the floor, he had trouble keeping his eyes open.

_Her schemes and plans _

Mandy looked to the bouncer and spoke earnestly, "Look at him. He's high on something. He was hitting on me when he attacked me. I tried to defend myself," she looked up at large man, "I just want to leave."

_'Cause we danced on the floor in the round _

Malcolm pulled the handkerchief from his jacket pocket and through it at dazed man, saying, "Go clean yourself up." He continued to lead Mandy through the crowd to the exit.

_So take my strong advice_

Bursting through the crowd in front of Mandy Vice approached them. He looked frantic and yelled at Malcolm, "Where were you? Thank God you got her. Take her to the back." Mandy stared in shock.

_just remember to always think twice_

Malcolm, realizing he had made a mistake, moved to put his hand on her shoulder, but Mandy spun out of the way grabbing a plastic cup from someone's hand and throwing the contents into his eyes stinging them with alcohol and fruit juice. He didn't see her as she spun around again and punched him in the eye.

_She told my baby we'd danced till three, then she looked at me _

From behind one of the injured goons yelled at him, "Watch it, Malcolm. She'll kick your ass." Malcolm wiped the liquid from his eyes with his sleeve and faced Mandy.

_Then showed a photo my baby cried his eyes were like mine_

Mandy attacked, but he deflected her first two blows. Anticipating that she'd use his size against him he knelt down and blocked her round house kick with his arm. They glared at each other with equal intensity.

_'Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby _

Malcolm swung at Mandy twice. Seeing her duck he tried a low uppercut, but she was able to bend over backwards to avoid it. Seeing the fight resuming, people once again gathered around them.

_People always told me be careful of what you do _

Seeing her vulnerable he kicked out her legs causing Mandy to fall on her back. When she tried to roll over to stand up he stepped on her neck, pinning her facedown on the floor.

_And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts _

Mandy struggled to escape. Seeing that she was slipping out from under her shoe, he quickly removed his foot from her neck and kicked her in the stomach before returning it to her neck. She stopped resisting.

_She came and stood right by me _

Malcolm carefully pulled her up and held her with one arm around her neck and the other holding her arms and waste. She did not resist and seemed to allow herself to he as close to him as possible.

_Then the smell of sweet perfume _

His head was right next to hers. He could feel her delicate skin, her smooth yellow hair, her dark, distant eyes and her enchanting frown.

_This happened much too soon _

He found himself thinking back to when he let her into the club, and how she looked walking up to him and staring him down. He suddenly felt her trying to slide out of his grip, so he quickly pulled her tighter and moved his leg between hers.

_She called me to her room _

Mandy suddenly slid back up and Malcolm found his arm holding her breasts, as if she knew what he was thinking. In instinctive embarrassment he let go of her with that arm. She quickly spun out of his other arm. Continuing to spin she kicked him in the knee forcing him to kneel. On the next spin she kicked him in the side of the head knocking him unconscious.

_Billie Jean is not my lover _

Frustrated at what he had seem, Vice reached down a pulled a knife from the cuff of his pants. He swung it upwards towards Mandy, but she easily stepped out of the way.

_She's just a girl who claims that I am the one _

He swiped left but Mandy grabbed his wrist. Despite the pain her twisting of his arm he managed to pull another knife from his jacket pocket and fling it at her. Without letting go of his hand, Mandy was able to lean out of the way to avoid the flying knife. It skimmed past her and lodged itself in someone's wide-cuffed pant leg.

_But the kid is not my son _

Suddenly Mandy yanked his hand behind her, so that the knife stabbed a man behind her in the shoulder. Vice let go of the knife as the man fell to the ground, yelling.

_No, no, no. No-no, no, no_

Now panicking, Vice, was leaning to his right to reduce the twisting on his arm. Squinting in pain, he did not see Mandy kick his legs out so he fell to his left. He heard the snapping of his bone, but was unconscious by the time he hit the ground.

_Billie Jean is not my lover _

Gino finally appeared with four of the club's bouncers. He pointed to Mandy and yelled, "Grab her."

_She's just a girl who claims that I am the one _

Mandy jumped on a nearby bar table, knocking over the glasses it held. The table was round, waste high and stood on a pedestal. The people who were using it scattered.

_But the kid is not my son _

One of the bouncers ran ahead of the others towards Mandy. As he approached she jumped from the table to his face and shoulder and immediately jumped back on the table, sliding as she landed on the spilled drinks.

_She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son _

The other bouncers stared down at their cohort's bloodied face as he lay on the floor and realized the direct approach wouldn't work.

Soon, one of them ran up to the table, but bent over and managed to get under it. As the song entered its instrumental section, he pushed the table so it began to tip, sending glass and liquid sliding off. Mandy stepped to the rising side of the table bringing it back into balance.

He pushed the other way. Mandy tried to rebalance it, but he allowed it to roll in the direction Mandy was shifting the weight and the table soon fell. However, Mandy was able to get a foot over and remained standing on the edge of the toppled-over table.

The bouncers, sensing she was vulnerable went at her. Mandy glanced around her and twisted her body to spin the table below her, causing the pedestal to hit one of the bouncers in his knee, and grab his leg in pain.

Another stepped in and stopped the spinning with his foot. Mandy quickly glanced behind her and stepped forward along the edge of the table causing the table to roll backwards away from the bouncers.

The two remaining bouncers followed her and quickly caught up. Mandy responded by spinning the table again. The lead one bent over to try to stop the table with his hands, but Mandy tilted it up at the last minute, hitting his head with the table base. He fell out of the way.

The last bouncer stepped in and held the pedestal between his legs. Before he had time to realized what a bad idea that was, Mandy was leaning towards him causing the pedestal to raise up towards his groin The entire crowed Ooed in unison.

Jacque made his way to the DJ booth to see what was going on. He arrived in time to see the last of his bouncers go down, his face became red with anger. He grabbed the microphone away from the DJ and announced to the crowd, "Stop that woman! Whoever catches her gets free drinks for life."

No one in the crowd that surrounded Mandy moved for several moments. She looked at the murmuring crowd that seemed to be turning on her and saw no escape.

Two or three guys went at her but she was able to kick and punch them out. She prepared for more, but saw none.

Around her pandemonium had broken out. The people who where trying attack her where being held back or attacked by people trying to defend her. Boyfriends where holding back their girlfriends by the arm. Girlfriends where punching their boyfriends in the face. Groups of friends where screaming at each other. Others where using the chaos to beat up people at random.

Nevertheless, people reached Mandy through the violent crowd. Mandy held some of them off, but was knocked over and was being kicked from both sides. She tried to get up, but more people fell on top of her. She didn't know if they where trying to protect her or if they had been knocked out in the fighting.

She looked out to see a boot coming at her head. Unable to move it hit her right in the eye. That's all she could remember for quite some time.


	4. Chapter 4

Mandy opened one of her eyes and looked up at the old wood beams that held up the ceiling. They where not familiar to her. Then the pain hit her. She closed her eye and focused on dissociating herself from the it. She had dealt with worse in the past.

She opened her eye again. The other one seemed to be swollen shut. Mandy looked around. It was a little messy for a woman's bedroom. The furniture looked old and warn, like it came out of a estate sale and was covered in books long missing their dust jackets and small abstract statues.

Mandy moved her arm across to lift herself up and noticed that there was a cut that had been cleaned with iodine. She brought he hand to her face and felt the cuts there had been cleaned, too. She began to suspect that she hadn't been captured by Jacque after all.

She sat up and some of her hair fell in front of her eyes. Right away the noticed that it was black instead of blond. She ran her fingers through her hair and found that they became covered on a sticky substance and her figure nails had been sloppily painted black.

Mandy stood and found she only had her underwear beneath the ratty brown robe she was wearing.

She heard the sound of typing from behind the door. She turned the loose door knob, being careful not to rattle it and slowly cracked the door open, but it squeaked horribly. Left with no other choice she quickly pulled it open.

The young woman at the computer turned towards Mandy. Mandy had not seen her before. She had long dark hair and a complexion that suggested she was South Asian. She wore a white do-rag and a red tank top and reviled arms and torso covered swirling abstract tattoos. She had narrow eyes and pointed features.

The woman smiled and said in a clear yet calming voice, "Hello. I'm glad to see you feeling better."

Mandy glanced around at the room. It was decorated much like the bedroom. There weren't the heavy set men she expected, and the drapes on the windows bellowed as if to advertised themselves as escape routes. It seemed this woman was her savior rather then her keeper.

The woman stood and walked towards Mandy. "You can call me Seven. Even with all we've been through, I don't know your name."

"It's Mandy."

"You've been through so much. You must be in shock, but your safe now." Seven moved to embrace Mandy. After a moment of hesitation Mandy accepted it.

Mandy put on her vulnerable face and ask, "How did I end up here?"

"Well, some friends and I where watching you beat all those guys. People where hitting each other left and right and you where knocked down. We managed to drag you to the woman's washroom. Michell said that they where kicking everyone out, but checking each person looking for you.

"Your face was already becoming unrecognizable from the bruising, we we figured we could smuggle you out. We blackened your hair with shoe polish that was in the bottom of someone's purse, redid you makeup and finger nails in a goth style. Madaline give up her black poncho for you to wear, while she had to go out in just her bra on."

Mandy stared in shock as she listed to what these people went through to save someone they had never met. As Seven smiled when she described the indignities she suffered trying to drag her out of the club, Mandy felt a familiar knot in the pit of her stomach. It happened anytime she was around someone who claimed to be nice. For a long time she assumed they where pretending to be nice for their own selfish reasons or they had some kind of mental problem. But Mandy had begun to question those assumptions. Too many times what she had seen and read hadn't turned out how she expected.

She pushed past the feeling in her gut and said, "Thank you for your help. You saved my life."

Seven seemed to sense Mandy was having difficulty with the word. "You're welcome. Anyone would have done the same."

"Not in my experience."

"Maybe you try to get out more."

Mandy's frown deepened. Before she could find a way to respond there was a loud knock at the door and someone yelled from the other side, "Open up! This is the police."

Seven looked at Mandy with concern, not knowing what to do.

The police knocked again. Mandy relaxed and said, "Answer it, by all means."

Seven glanced around nervously as she walked to the door. As soon as she turned to knob it flew open and three police officers stormed in with their guns drawn, one in a shirt and tie under a trench coat and the other two in uniform. The lead officer yelled, "Freeze!"

Mandy raised her hands, but only to shoulder level. The robe she was wearing loosened slightly.

Seven stormed past Mandy, her eyes glaring. "Who do you think you are coming in here like this?"

The officer shouted again, "Raise you hands, ma'am."

Mandy said calmly, "Please, Seven. These officers are only doing their jobs. Allow me to introduce you to Detective Cumberland." Mandy pointed her hand towards to lead officer. "I know from experience, he would never do anything to betray his responsibility to the citizens of this city."

The detective stuttered for several seconds as he glanced back and forth between Mandy and Seven. He finally said, "Would you please cooperate and raise you hands and Officer Scotsburn will frisk you."

Seven reluctantly raised her hands and one of the uniformed officers, who was a woman, stepped forward and patted her down. As she did, Det. Cumberland stared at Mandy who turned her head away from him causing her loose hair to flow off her shoulder down to her chest.

The Detective shock his head to regain his focus. "Mandy, you being are charged with four counts of assault. You have the right to remain silent..."

Mandy interrupted him, "Aren't you going to frisk me?"

Cumberland stuttered again, "I... are...". He pointed at the woman officer and directed he to pat down Mandy. He averted his eyes as she did.

Seven suddenly said, "I was there last night. Mandy was only defending herself."

Mandy turned to her. "Don't worry. If I need you as a witness, I'll contact you."

The female police officer put cuffs on Mandy and lead her towards the door.

Seven moved towards them, but Mandy looked back at her and scowled. Seven froze. He heart sank as the last policeman disappeared behind the closing door.

_This had already been written when I posted the last chapter. I have recently reread my stories and they are even better then I remember. So I've cleaned this chapter up and posted. I don't plan on writing any more, but I will summarize what I had in mind._

_Mandy would get released from jail by black mailing the district attorney by placing fake records in his bank statement suggesting he has been taking bribes. She learns that the Mayor is determined to take her down._

_She meets Seven at a skating rink._

Seven follows Mandy around the curve of the rink. She could barely keep up. Despite traveling at full speed Mandy steps around and skates backwards across the rink. She looked behind her briefly and with grim determination jammed her pick into the ice, setting herself spinning through the air and landing gracefully. It happened so fast Seven wasn't able to could tell if it was a double or a triple.

She raced to catch up to Mandy. "That was amazing."

Mandy suddenly leapt through the air and set herself spinning on one skate with her arms stretch out in one direction and her leg in the other. Seven stopped to watch as Mandy pulled her arms and leg in acceleration her spin to breakneck speed.

As the spin slowed Mandy stepped out of the it. Sever skated up to her, but all she could say was, "Wow."

Mandy said, "I've always enjoyed figure skating. I like how they spin."

"You're amazing. How far did you get with your skating?"

"Not too far. The coaches said I could have made the National Team, except for one thing."

"What was that?"

Mandy didn't say anything. She just skated away and frowned.

_They talk about the problems Mandy has been having with corruption at city hall. Seven suggests that Mandy run for mayor. Mandy agrees if Seven help her out._

_The campaign is very messy with each side spouting propaganda, manipulating the media that they controlled and vandalizing or breaking into each other's campaign offices._

_On election night the mayor's goons abducts Seven. That night Mandy discovers they are keeping her is a condominium penthouse. She breaks into the neighboring unit and attacks them through the bathroom wall. After a spectacular gun battle she finds Seven on the balcony._

Mandy, breathing heavily and with copious amounts of blood on her tight gray outfit, approached Seven who was at the far end of the balcony. She knelt and pull down the gag.

"Thank you, Mandy."

Mandy said nothing. She pushed Seven over and quickly undid the incompetently tied rope that bound Seven's hands behind her.

Seven was finally able to stand after being force to sit for more then 24 hours. She stretched as Mandy helped free he legs. Seven stepped over to the railing and still feeling unsteady, leaned on it and looked out to the lights of the city.

The wind caused her long dark hair to billow. "Why did you save me? When we first met I thought you where nice, but through this campaign I saw you be as ruthless as the most corrupt politician imaginable. That's why I left the campaign. You destroyed my credit and got me evicted from my apartment."

Mandy suddenly said, "I didn't."

"I was there when you faked the numbers in that poll and had the house of that third party candidate trashed to get him out the race."

Mandy gently touched Seven's arm and she turned to face Mandy. Mandy brush some hair out of her eyes, smudging her forehead with blood. "I mean I didn't destroy your credit or get you evicted." She waved her hand towards the apartment. "It must have been these guys."

Seven looked suspicious.

Mandy squeeze her hand on Seven's arm a bit tighter. "I would never hurt you."

Seven glared. "You hurt just about everyone else."

Mandy closed her eyes. Something hurt in the pit of her stomach, unlike she she had ever felt before. She thought it might have been fear. "I have feelings for you."

Seven began to say something, but Mandy kissed her, very aggressively. Seven allowed it and kissed back, only out of pity and to relieve the tension.

Mandy stepped back, picked up a gun that was laying nearby and pointed it at Seven's head. "I was wrong. I don't have feelings."

"I'm sure you do have some, just not those kind of feelings for me."

"No. I've never had any feelings. Not even as a little girl. Love, hate, desire, envy, satisfaction, pain, fear, joy. I never really felt any of them. I've read all about them in trashy romance novels to the great Shakespearean tragedies but I've never experienced them.

"I done the things described in those books, achieved great wealth and power, indulged in all the pleasures of the flesh, fought great battles, challenged myself in every fashion, experienced all the verity the world has to offer. Yet though it all I felt nothing. Just emptiness.

"When I met you I decided to try something new. Something simple. I decided to be your friend, not though manipulation, but by being myself. Naturally, letting you see my true self drove you away, as it would anyone, but I could tell you never gave up on me."

Seven quickly said, "That's true."

"You where my last chance, but I failed. I still feel nothing. There is nothing left on this Earth for me."

Mandy carefully aimed the gun between Seven's eyes and said, "I want you to tell the next person you meet that I'm ready for him to take me to the next world."

Seven felt relief because she assumed Mandy wasn't going to kill her if she was going to meet someone, but she was still shaking when she asked, "Who am I going to meet?"

Mandy's mouth seemed to move in slow motion as Seven watched it form the sounds that made up the word, "Death."

___A few days later Grim showed up at the mayor's office and proposes to Mandy._


End file.
